Dr Callum Gilchrist

NSW - Sydney Anaesthetist

Hello
My name is Dr Callum Gilchrist and I work with your Surgeon.
I would like to introduce myself:

Why do you need someone like me?
As an Anaesthetist, I am a medical specialist who helps you through your operation. I have spent 16+ years studying and training to look after you before, during and after your operation. I am an Australian doctor who is officially recognised as a consultant in the specialty of anaesthesia.

What does that mean for you?
On the day of surgery it is my goal to work along side your surgeon to get you through your procedure in the safest and most comfortable fashion. I will assess you in the pre-operative area before we move into the operating theatre. Monitoring is then applied assisting me in ensuring your safety and comfort throughout the operation. After I have inserted an intravenous cannula, I will administer a relaxing medicine before oxygen will be given through a mask. More medicine then makes you unconscious before I place a breathing tube. Occasionally, I perform a spinal anaesthetic instead, or in addition to, the general anaesthetic. Other procedures may also be necessary to get you through the surgery in the safest fashion. Your surgeon then performs the surgery whilst I continue the anaesthetic. At the end of the operation I remove the breathing tube before waking you up, and you are then watched closely whilst you recover.

What do you need to do?
Every person is different. Pre-operative assessment is very important in order to give you the safest anaesthetic possible. This is why I require you to complete the Pre-Op Health Questionnaire. I need to understand your complete medical history to choose the best anaesthetic medicine and technique for you. Unfortunately, if I don’t receive your completed questionnaire beforehand your procedure may have to be cancelled. Please complete this pre-op health questionnaire as soon as possible.

Fasting prior to your procedure
Fasting is very important prior to your anaesthetic to keep you safe from aspirating stomach contents into your lungs by ensuring your stomach is empty. Please note that during the fasting period nothing is to enter your mouth - not chewing gum, nor lollies (eg. 'mints') or anything else. The only exception to this is small amounts of water to assist with taking tablets. The hospital will let you know what time you need to fast from. More details on fasting and why anaesthetists worry about aspiration can be found in my FAQ document (see link below).

What are the risks?
Australia is the safest country in the world to undergo an anaesthetic. Nonetheless, every anaesthetic involves some risk. There are minor complications that do not affect long-term quality of life but can be unpleasant, and there are major complications that occur very rarely but do impact on a patient’s long-term functional capacity and quality of life. More details are available in my FAQ document (see link below). I will discuss the relevant risks with you when we talk, and I would encourage you to ask me any specific questions that you may have.

What are the fees?
The fee for your anaesthetic is primarily dependent on the procedure, your state of health and the time spent under my care. There will be an out-of-pocket expense, otherwise known as the gap, and this will depend on your health insurance. The anaesthetic fee is normally paid in full prior to your admission. After I have received your questionnaire at drgilchrist.com.au my secretary Lauren (02 8436 7617) or I will contact you and provide you with details of the anaesthetic fee. More details are available in my FAQ document (see link below).

All feedback welcome
Once you have recovered from your admission to hospital, I would appreciate you taking just a few minutes to complete my Patient Experience Survey. Your answers are completely anonymous and will help me greatly in improving the way I care for patients in the future.

I look forward to providing you with a high level of personalised anaesthesia care. Should you require any further information, please follow the links to my pages on post-operative analgesia and my FAQs, or feel free to contact me directly.